By Robert Williams

Editor

Last year, the Frazee City Council and City Administrator Stephanie Poegel agreed to begin quarterly check-ins together to discuss how the council can aid the city office and vice versa.

“There is a lot going on,” Poegel said. “There is.”

The discussion took up over half of the 67-minute city council meeting on Wednesday, April 21, at the Frazee Event Center.

Poegel discussed utility billing issues and audit preparation that have taken up some time recently for city office employees, along with congruent personal issues for the sparsely-staffed city office.

“I think all of us have had some sort of family thing happen in the last month also—so the last month has been very stressful for all of us,” Poegel said.

The annual Board of Appeal and Equalization meeting was scheduled for earlier in April, but an unusual afternoon start time and failed reschedule were part of the reasons the meeting was missed by city officials. The Board of Appeal and Equalization allows property owners to challenge their property tax valuation or classification.

Poegel apologized for the error, however Mayor Mike Sharp noted that residents also have the option to go directly to the county for the same review.

The city lost the right to hold a Board of Appeal and Equalization meeting in 2027. By not holding the meeting, a city generally loses its authority to manage property tax appeals, transferring that power to the county for a minimum of two assessment years. 

In Minnesota, this is specifically regulated under MN Statute 274.014, where failure to comply with meeting or training requirements forces the transfer of powers to the county.

Council member Andrea Froeber has attended the meeting the past couple of years and noted attendance is lacking, citing approximately two residents per year

“Why do we do it?” she said. “Are we obligated, as a small city, to offer this for the residents?”

“You should,” said Poegel. “It’s the way that the resident can come to the local board.”

Other topics included minor communication issues and rental and dilapidated structure inspections.

“We are working on trying to get some of those bad structures removed from the community that are beyond repair,” said Poegel.

Mayor Sharp prompted Poegel for anything she needed to help her duties or anything the council could provide to help complete her tasks.

“For the most part, I think we’re pretty happy,” Poegel said. “There are days here and there.”

Poegel did admit that she is working her budget to hopefully be able to fund a third full-time position in the city office.

“There is getting to be more and more and more all the time and we’re falling behind more and more,” she said. “It’s really hard to just, when we walk away, I don’t think any one of us, when we walk away, just leave everything at the office.”

Poegel cited some issues dating back to before her arrival from 2020-21 that she has yet to tackle because of a lack of time.

She stated city office staff are working to streamline processes and hope to utilize an intern, volunteer, or a school’s work-based learning program for assistance with processing public, non-confidential paperwork.

Sharp expressed the importance of honest communication on workloads, what is possible and what is not prior to adjourning the meeting.